A recent study by the International Committee for the Red Cross, the widely recognised arbiter over questions related to the laws of war and war crimes, said the use of human shields generally involves cases &#8220;where persons were actually taken to military objectives in order to shield those objectives from attack,&#8221; with the individuals often held against their will.

As in previous wars, Israel has used the term &#8220;human shield&#8221; more loosely during its current operation in the Gaza Strip, which today enters its 18th day.

In the deaths of at least 39 Palestinians at the UN&#8217;s Al Fakhoura school last week, it was a default position, apparently designed to blunt criticism that its forces were acting too cavalierly towards civilians in Gaza. Justifying Israel&#8217;s attack on the school, Israeli officials at first claimed that their fighters were responding to mortar fire from that location.

Then the spokesman for the UN relief agency in Gaza, Christopher Gunness, said the organisation was &#8220;99.9 per cent certain&#8221; that there had been no militants or militant activity within the school compound. The agency also said that all its schools and other facilities were clearly marked and that their locations had been provided to the Israel Defense Forces.

A recent study by the International Committee for the Red Cross, the widely recognised arbiter over questions related to the laws of war and war crimes, said the use of human shields generally involves cases where persons were actually taken to military objectives in order to shield those objectives from attack, with the individuals often held against their will.

As in previous wars, Israel has used the term human shield more loosely during its current operation in the Gaza Strip, which today enters its 18th day.

In the deaths of at least 39 Palestinians at the UNs Al Fakhoura school last week, it was a default position, apparently designed to blunt criticism that its forces were acting too cavalierly towards civilians in Gaza. Justifying Israels attack on the school, Israeli officials at first claimed that their fighters were responding to mortar fire from that location.

Then the spokesman for the UN relief agency in Gaza, Christopher Gunness, said the organisation was 99.9 per cent certain that there had been no militants or militant activity within the school compound. The agency also said that all its schools and other facilities were clearly marked and that their locations had been provided to the Israel Defense Forces.

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Is this kind of like in the South Park movie where they Operation Human Shield? Maybe they should take a lesson from the movie and just get out of the way!

the spokesman for the UN relief agency in Gaza, Christopher Gunness, said the organisation was &#8220;99.9 per cent certain&#8221; that there had been no militants or militant activity within the school compound. The agency also said that all its schools and other facilities were clearly marked and that their locations had been provided to the Israel Defense Forces.

the spokesman for the UN relief agency in Gaza, Christopher Gunness, said the organisation was &#8220;99.9 per cent certain&#8221; that there had been no militants or militant activity within the school compound. The agency also said that all its schools and other facilities were clearly marked and that their locations had been provided to the Israel Defense Forces.

This is what was found people, not by Hamas or Isreal but by the IRC.

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Ah, I thought you were talking in general as well.

But honestly it is understandable that people suspect Hamas of using it, because they have used this school in the past ([ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmXXUOs27lI]YouTube - Mortar Bombs Shot from UN School in Gaza 29 Oct. 2007[/ame]) for there militants to shoot from. I didn't see any evidence either of the claim from Israel that Hamas used the school this time too, so I agree because Israel has given no evidence.

But when we re talking in general you can not deny that Hamas uses Human schields because they themselves claim it and seem to be proud of it as well.

You'd think hamas would know by now that Palestinians really don't make good shields.

A recent study by the International Committee for the Red Cross, the widely recognised arbiter over questions related to the laws of war and war crimes, said the use of human shields generally involves cases &#8220;where persons were actually taken to military objectives in order to shield those objectives from attack,&#8221; with the individuals often held against their will.

In an area as densely packs as GAZA is there anyplace that is NOT going to get civilians killed when it is shelled or bombed?

I kind of doubt it.

So on one hand that gives HAMAS a pluasibile excuse for locating their activities where they do, and it certainly gives IDF a plausible excuse for killing civilians as they carrry out their operations, too.

Bottom line?

Warmongers monger wars and civilians get killed and everybody talks a good game about how much they give a shit but they really don't.

In an area as densely packs as GAZA is there anyplace that is NOT going to get civilians killed when it is shelled or bombed?

I kind of doubt it.

So on one hand that gives HAMAS a pluasibile excuse for locating their activities where they do, and it certainly gives IDF a plausible excuse for killing civilians as they carrry out their operations, too.

Bottom line?

Warmongers monger wars and civilians get killed and everybody talks a good game about how much they give a shit but they really don't.

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